


Don’t Forget

by TwilightCrown



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: An attempt at a novelization, Gen, Includes my own personal headcanons and theories, I’m a slow writer apologies, Kris Needs A Hug, Nonbinary Kris (Deltarune), Novelization, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possession, To Be Edited, Work In Progress, because why not, i'm a big fan of platonic kris & susie, it's definitely kris but also not quite, it’s fun, so there will probably be a lot of that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25496422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightCrown/pseuds/TwilightCrown
Summary: No one can choose who they are in this world.
Relationships: Kris & Lancer & Ralsei & Susie (Deltarune), Kris & Ralsei (Deltarune), Kris & Susie (Deltarune), Lancer & Susie (Deltarune), Ralsei & Susie (Deltarune)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 41





	1. Prologue

Something wasn't quite right.

They were surrounded. Surrounded in darkness. There was nothing, no end, no start. They were floating, like a lone star in this void. 

There was someone else here, too. They couldn't see them. Just a feeling. An uncomfortable feeling. Someone else's presence.

And a quiet whisper.

( _are you... there?_ )

It came from nowhere. It came from everywhere. Echoing endlessly. The voice was odd. They didn't recognise it.

( _are we... connected?_ )

( _wonderful._ )

( _of course._ )

( _of course they are..._ )

( _the same._ )

( _you are about to meet..._ )

( _someone very... very..._ )

( _wonderful._ )

There was a moment, a strange moment, and they were disconnecting. Regardless of what they voice said. They were drifting away.

( _your creation..._ )

A shift in tone. The presence grew stronger. It was... different now. Still here. Stronger now.

( _...will now be discarded._ )

( _no one can choose who they are in this world._ )

The voice was getting closer. Rapidly moving. And... was that light? Yes. A change. Their senses were numbed. They couldn't handle it. They almost wanted it to go away. But they had no choice. They couldn't stop it. The bright light engulfed them.

( _your..._ )

( _name..._ )

( _is..._ )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! 
> 
> I've been wanting to try a novelisation of Deltarune for a while now, simply as a way to practice my writing skills without the stress of creating my own story.
> 
> (And also because I really love Deltarune)
> 
> I hope you can enjoy!


	2. One

" _Kris_!"

They jolted awake.

Panic shot through them, disappearing as quickly as it came. They were safe. They recognised that voice. That was their mum's voice. That whisper was a dream. Just a dream.

"Kris, if you do not wake up, we will be late for school!"

There was some footsteps. Light filtered in the room, harsh against their weary eyes.

"I will wait outside for you, alright?"

When the door clicked shut, and they were alone, they ripped back the covers. Dragged themselves to their feet, and left their bed unmade. Their side of the room was plain, drab, humble. Empty shelves. A red wagon sat in the corner, holding a dented birdcage. As Kris tugged on their shoes, left unceremoniously in the middle of the floor, their gaze lingered on the neatly made bed on the other side of the room, the CDs and game consoles shoved under the bed, the golden trophies lining the shelf that shone in the morning light...

( _his side_ )

At first glance, that side of the bedroom was full of life, but Kris was far too aware of the thin layer of dust that had started to settle. Knowing that their older brother was no longer here made Kris feel like a part of them was missing. Their odd dream has left their head in the clouds, left a pit of misery in their stomach.

Half in a daze, Kris simply moved on. Couldn't keep Toriel waiting.

In their usual morning routine, they often stopped to check their appearance in the mirror outside their mum's room. Not that Kris had any interest in dressing smart or styling their hair nice. Today was no different.

* It's only you.

It was often the case that they'd fall asleep in the clothes they wore that day, and, depending on their mood, would change into something fresh come morning. Sometimes Toriel had to remind them to do so, to her dismay. Today they kept on their brother's large green jumper, their worn jeans, and simply ran a hand through their dark hair, getting rid of a few of the tangles. It was beginning to brush their shoulders, their fringe hiding their eyes from view. Toriel will want to cut it soon.

The smell of butterscotch and cinnamon hit their nose as they wandered down the stairs. Mum was baking again, it seemed. Kris liked that. Her pies were always the best. On the counter was a slight coating of batter, next to the cooking equipment piled up in the sink to be washed later. Various pictures of them and their brother pinned up on the fridge, depicting all sorts of precious memories, ranging from when they were children to what seemed to be recently.

With nothing but a pencil in their pocket, they pulled open the front door, deciding they were ready for school. It was a sunny, warm day, birds singing enthusiastically. Toriel sat in her van, and when she saw Kris, she smiled brightly, and started the engine.

"Kris!" she exclaimed, as they opened the door and hopped in. "There you are! Buckle up, we might still be able to make it in time!"

She pulls away, and starts to drive down the street. There was a lot of space in the van, especially for Kris, whereas for Toriel, she could barely fit; being a large goat monster meant that she was likely used to finding vehicles rather cramped. They often found that most of the residents of Hometown were a lot bigger and stronger than they were. As a kid they never truly understood why they were different, and even now, still find it a source of anguish and frustration.

It was strange, being the only human in a town of monsters.

"It is a beautiful day today, is it not?" Toriel commented, filling the comfortable silence. Around the corner was the hospital, where Officer Undyne stood outside, talking with someone. She waved kindly as they passed. "I hope it stays this way when Asriel visits next week."

Just the mention of their brother turns their stomach, both with overwhelming love and dread.

"But I wonder... after the excitement of university, will he still enjoy coming home to this little town?" Toriel pulled to a stop, parking in front of the small school. She turned to Kris. "I'm sure he will be so excited to see you, honey. Come on, let's go, we're already a little bit late."

They followed their mum into the school, letting her hug them before she wandered down the corridor, where she teaches the younger class. Kris went the opposite direction, heading towards their class, which they were definitely late for.

As soon as they opened the door, they heard a nasally, squeaky voice say: "So, does everyone have a... Oh, K-kris! We thought you weren't coming today!"

Miss Alphys, a timid, yellow lizard, stood at the front of the class. She barely glanced at Kris before avoiding their gaze, eyes darting around the cramped room. "We're doing group projects this month, so, uh, ask around and find a partner!"

They said nothing as they strode to their seat, the second desk in the middle row, indifferent to the eyes watching them as they go. They didn't care. They could stare all they want. They've endured the weird looks for years, anyway, and didn't seem like they were going to escape them any time soon.

Regular classroom chatter soon picked up, while Alphys fumbled around her desk. Their class was on the small side, only nine students in total: to their left, Catti held her phone under the desk, tapping away at the screen, far from discreet, while Jockington slithered under his desk, reappearing beside her. On the other side, Monster Kid engaged in a loud conversation with both Temmie and Snowy, turning in his seat every so often to face both of them. For the most part, Kris kept their head down, avoiding joining in, until they glanced up and reached forward, tapping one of their classmates on the shoulder.

The deer girl turned around, confused at first, but quickly smiled her usual passive smile. "Kris!" Noelle greeted, ever so chipper. "What's up? Did you need to borrow a pencil again?"

They shook their head. Of all the classmates they had, Noelle was by far the kindest. She was the only one to choose to talk to them every now and then, and they felt comfortable enough asking her for help with schoolwork when they needed it. Could she be considered a friend? Maybe. Maybe not. Everyone else liked to keep a safe distance. They preferred it that way. "Partners?" they asked, voice quiet.

"Huh? Partners?" Noelle's expression dropped into something apologetic. "Um, sorry Kris. Berdly already asked me... but I could ask Miss Alphys if we could make a group of three, if you want?"

"What?" Squawked the blue bird, sitting at the desk in front of them. Berdly swivelled in his seat, gawking at Noelle. "Abort! I did not agree to this!"

Noelle slumped her shoulders. "But, Kris doesn't have a partner..."

"Absolutely not! Sorry, Kris, but I actually want to get an A on this subject." Berdly chuckled so loud he snorted. 

Kris merely glared.

"I can still ask," Noelle huffed, shooting Kris a sympathetic glance. "Miss Alphys!" she called, raising her hand. "Is it alright if we make a group of three?"

"No," Berdly droned, objectively louder than Noelle. "No, we're fine."

Alphys popped her head up from behind her desk. "B-berdly, please," she stuttered. "Noelle, what were you saying?"

Noelle flushed bright red, shrinking in her seat, voice even quieter. "I was just wondering..."

"We're fine on our own!" Berdly shouted over her. He pushed his glasses up, throwing a smirk over his shoulder to Kris. 

A faint flicker of frustration crossed Alphys's nervous face. "Noelle, can you please speak up? I -"

She almost shrieked when the door flew open, slamming against the wall, trying and failing to regain her posture. "Oh, h-hi, Susie..."

In through the door stepped who was known as the class bully. Kris evaded her just as much as they did everyone else. With her solid stature and abrasive attitude, Susie cast a huge, mean shadow over everyone who dared cross her. Her tattered clothes only made her that much more intimidating, as if she had no care in the world for anyone or anything. Maybe she even thrived off of a little chaos.

Her unruly dark hair obscured her eyes from view, but she still assessed the classroom, staring down her purple snout. Even her voice was low, rough, held that same level of hatred, that she seemed to hold for everyone she came across.

"Am I late?"


	3. Two

"Oh, n-no! You're fine!" Alphys stuttered, clearly flustered and nervous. She turned her eyes to the ground. "We were just, uh, choosing partners for the next group project, and, um... Susie, you're with Kris!"

Susie's harsh gaze settled on them. A faint smirk flickered on her face, gone before anyone could notice it was there in the first place. "Hm... great."

Her footsteps were heavy as she trudged to the empty seat behind them, nudging them as she passed. Tense silence spread across the room like ink in water, which Alphys took as her cue to start the class.

"Um, s-so, I would start writing the assignment, but, um, I can't find the chalk." She visibly gulped. "Uh... has anyone seen the chalk? This is the third time it's gone missing, and... you know I can't start class without it!"

Silence. No one made a sound.

Alphys shifted nervously, scratching her head. "H-how about this? If no one speaks up, e-everyone gets in trouble!"

Her threats are empty. They always were.

"Uh... A-anyone? Please?"

"Um, Miss Alphys?" Noelle's voice perked, "there might be a box in the supply closet. Susie and I could -"

"G-good idea, Noelle!" Alphys exclaimed. "Susie, uh, since you were last in... why don't you g-go get it for me?"

Susie made a loud sigh, getting up and tucking her chair in so it screeched on the wooden floor. "Fine. Whatever."

She pulled open the door, and left the classroom.

Noelle made to stand up. "I'll go with her, Miss Alphys," she offered, but Alphys was shaking her head.

"No, don't worry Noelle," Alphys mumbled. "Kris, why don't you go with Susie? Seeing as you were also late today. Just m-make sure she actually gets it? And, um, stays out of trouble?"

Again, all eyes on them. No one liked them, that much was known, but they liked Susie a lot less. Their gazes were sympathetic. A little fearful. Even Berdly mustered a somewhat pitiful look as they left the room and followed the bully into the corridor.

They spotted Susie halfway down the corridor, her back to them. She didn't hear them approach. In her large, clawed hands was a thin, white stick. Chalk. She found it. That was quick.

Kris put their hand on the door handle, but stopped, watched as Susie raised the chalk to her face. She sniffs it, once, twice, opening her mouth and tossing the chalk in, her pointed teeth crunching it down.

She turned around, a brief moment of panic crossed her otherwise blank features. "Kris," she stated, faking politeness. "Didn't see you there."

She took a few steps towards them. Kris wasn't short for a human by any means (or, at least, that's what Toriel has told them), but even so, the top of their head barely reached Susie's shoulders. She towers over them. She has them trapped.

"Hey. You didn't see anything just now, did you?"

Susie waits for an answer that doesn't come. Moments pass, and they said nothing. Did nothing.

"Hm... you can't even say?" She steps closer. They take a step back. Susie notices, and she comes forward again, until she had them backed against a set of lockers. Her hand is warm and uncharacteristically gentle when she places it on their shoulder. She even smiles faintly. "Kris... let me tell you a secret, okay?"

She grabs at their jumper, balling it into a fist, pulls back her arm and slams them into the locker. A sharp ache races through their back, but they made no sound: not even when Susie leans in, the end of her snout mere inches from their face.

"Quiet people piss me off."

Sneers at them.

"You think that just because you don't say anything, I can't tell exactly what you're thinking?" She barks a dry chuckle, then raises her voice as if to mock them. "'It's over! I caught Susie eating all the chalk! This was her last chance! Now she'll finally be expelled!'" Again, she waits for any sort of reaction, and they give her none. Despite the pain in their shoulders, despite their thumping heart. "Heh... come on Kris. Don't act shocked. You know it's true. Everyone's waiting for it. Everyone wants it."

She grabs their other shoulder with her other hand. "Congrats, Kris. You got me. I'm done for. Just, lemme say one thing. Seems like a waste to get expelled just for having a snack."

They meet her yellow eyes with their dark ones, and for a tiny moment she seemed unsettled.

"If I know you're gonna pull the trigger... heh... why don't I get expelled for some real carnage? Kris, how do you feel..."

Susie smiles, displaying all her menacing fangs.

"... about losing your face?"

She lifts them off their feet, and opens her mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... this one is in desperate need of an edit lol


	4. Three

She dropped them.

"Nah," Susie grumbled, and took a step back.

Kris slumped against the cold, flimsy locker door, their heart beating just a little too quick.

"Kris. You've got a good mother. It'd be a shame to make her bury her child."

A wicked grin crossed her face.

"Alright, let's get this over with." She glares, jabbing her finger at them. "We'll get the chalk, mosey back to class, and then, Kris... _You'll_ do our project. How does that sound?"

Before they can even process, she scoffed.

"Don't bother answering. Your choices don't matter. Let's go, freak."

Susie turns, striding down the corridor, disappearing around the corner in a flash.

They took a deep breath. Waited a moment for their body to stop trembling.

Wincing slightly at the pain in their shoulders, they rose to their feet, using the locker for support. They considered going back into the classroom: they'd tell Alphys that they couldn't find any chalk, and that Susie had gone elsewhere. No matter if she bought the lie or not, Alphys would leave them be, and Susie would be an issue to be dealt with another day.

No. Might as well face her now.

Kris wandered down the corridor, past the row of lockers, decorated with stickers and various other papers and pictures, past the display board advertising the much anticipated Sadie Hawkman's dance coming up at the end of term, next to the posters about the cross-country team run by Noelle and Jockington. Apprehension knots their stomach; they slow their steps into a shuffle, as if that could help them avoid Susie's wrath. But as they turned the corner, heading down the main hall of their tiny school, they spot her ahead, and hear her bellow at them.

"God, can you walk any slower?" A pause, and a mocking laugh. "Nah, I get it. Not used to walking around without someone holding your hand? Come _on_ , freak."

Their face flushes, but regardless they continued on.

The sound of their shallow breathing drowned out the silence. Appearing nervously at her side, they stand in front of the decrepit supply closet door. For a moment, neither of them made to move. "Well, here's the supply closet," Susie huffs. "Too bad, we were just starting to have fun."

She shoves the door open. The hinges screeched as it swung, so loud that Kris flinched a little. They were glad Susie did not see. 

"Hey, Kris, is it me or... is it really dark in there?"

It was unusually dark in the closet; no light filtered into the old room, no matter how bright the morning sun was today. No, the shadows seemed to be seeping _out_ , as if it were it's own entity. Kris couldn't see anything in there, no shelves, no boxes of equipment, no stored chairs or tables. Only papers littering the floor. It was over a year ago the last time they went into the supply closet, and they certainly don't remember it being this dark in there...

Susie whacked their arm. "Well, what's the hold up, Kris? Are you gonna go in or not?"

They took a step back. No, they didn't trust that darkness. The way it seemed to be looking at them. They were reminded of their strange dream they had, of the whisper that brushed through the void, talking of creations. No. They didn't care how cowardly they appeared. They did not want to go in there.

"Fine!" Susie barks. "If you're gonna be a wimp, then I'll..."

She took a step back, too.

"We'll both go in at the same time!"

A hand roughly forced Kris forward, making them stumble into the doorway. Kris turned, but Susie was right behind them. She gave them another push.

Surrounded by the pitch black, a chill ran through their blood. Looking back at the doorway, the hallway seemed to be an entirely different world. They couldn't see their hands when they held them out, so they didn't collide with anything. The only thing they could make out was the floor, the papers that crunch and shift under their shoes.

"See? Why are you so scared?" Susie taunted, as if she didn't back off herself. Kris could barely see her, standing mere feet away. "There's nothing in here but old papers. I'm gonna try find a light switch."

She wanders off, into the void. Kris follows.

Susie has her long arms stretched out, feeling around. "Huh. I can't find a switch. Guess it's further in."

Further she goes.

Again, Kris glanced back at the closet door. It seemed even smaller, even harder to reach. They walked towards it. Susie could come if she wanted. They were getting out of here.

What had they gotten themselves into?

"Uh... Kind of big for a closet, huh..." Susie's voice murmured, growing louder. She materialised by their side. "You'd think we'd have reached the end by now... Hey Kris." All previous harshness disappeared from her tone. "I think this closet's, uh, broken. There aren't any walls."

She nudged past them, moving towards the door.

"We've worked hard enough. If Alphys wants the chalk so bad. She can find it herself. Let's split."

Kris nodded, despite knowing she couldn't see them. They picked up their pace. Desperate to get out and into the light. The dark was too much.

( _too dark_ )

( _the whispers are hidden here_ )

As Susie reached the door, the portal to the school, the world of light, the door slammed shut in her face. Cutting off the light.

( _safety_ )

"What the...?" Susie bangs her fist on the door, shouting as loud as she could. "Hey! This isn't funny! Let us out!"

Kris tried the handle, yanking at it when it didn't budge. Took a few steps back. At first, they were sure the floor felt like it was shaking because they were, but Susie must have noticed it too. She grabbed onto their shoulder, holding her other arm out for balance.

"The floor," she states, shocked. "It's..."

The floor fell from underneath their feet, and they fell into the abyss.


	5. Four

Their head ached.

Coming to their senses felt like rising from the depths of murky water. They curled their fingers, twitched their wrist, the sensation of movement oddly disconnected from their consciousness.

Opening their eyes to darkness, they wondered briefly if Susie had lost her temper and lashed out at them, for some reason or other. Why else would they be huddled on the cold, dusty floor? Why else would they be feeling like they were both falling and floating, all at once?

( _susie_ )

( _where is she_ )

They struggled to rise, stumbling and tripping over their unusually heavy body. Their balance shifted ever so slightly out of place, the flow between their brain and their limbs disrupted, hazy. Their feet dragged as they moved, but it wasn't their scruffy sneakers kicking up all that dust, no, but rather shining metal boots that clacked way too loud with the tiniest of movements, filling the otherwise silence. The boots matched the armour they wore over their chest, the gloves on their hands, the sword on their belt...

Once a shade of tan, their skin now seemed to be glowing blue; at first they thought it must be a reflection of colour, but the blue was simply too vibrant to be a simple trick of the light. A brilliant pink cape flowed over their right shoulder, protecting their skin from the icy breeze. Even their dull, dark brown hair took on a deep, rich blue tint as it fell into their eyes.

A knot of panic built in their heart - where did Asriel's jumper go? They grabbed unconsciously at their cape, taking off their gloves to rub it between their fingers - it had the same thick, soft texture, and that was enough to instil a tiny bit of calm into their soul.

( _still with me_ )

They found themselves walking, their ankles gently tugged as if by tiny threads, just soft enough to encourage them along as they attempted to process their situation. Their dusty path floated in the middle of the void, surrounded by nothingness. If they stared for long enough at the darkness, they could imagine beady little eyes looking right back, piercing into their soul. 

( _dark yet darker_ )

( _the whispers are here_ )

Up ahead, the path widened, and cliffs sprouted from the void, enclosing them in and protecting them from the watchers in the edges of their perception. The hills protected them from the wind, if only by a little. They pulled their cloak tight around them. As if to personify the watchers of the void there were weeping black holes appearing in the rocks, too dark to see inside. If they listened hard enough, they could hear the eyes whisper to the winds. Talking about them. Just as curious as they were. Soon enough, there were carvings alongside the holes. Eyes: some closed, some opened. 

And a message, that read: _Only eyes blinded by darkness can see the way_.

As they went, there was something that caught their eye. A faint glow. Their eyes playing a trick on them, maybe? No. It flickered when they watched it, twinkling like a lone star. They knelt, and when they reached out to it, their hand passed right through it. It was warm, gentle, and filled them with determination. Their aches disappeared. The fog in their head cleared just a touch.

A feeling of security washed through them, and accompanied them on their journey onward.

( _a familiar feeling_ )

Strange, white stalks lined their path, reaching up towards the sky like desperate hands. They danced as they walked past, waving too precariously to be shifting in the mild wind. Some of them had a faint red aura, one that they almost didn't catch on first glance. These ones seemed to cause their vision to dim, and looking down at themselves, it was as if their body had turned transparent - a similar crimson glow emitted from their chest, much more brighter and much more powerful than that of the stalk.

( _soul_ )

Their mother and father told them stories about humans and their abilities, much different from the magic of monsters. Of course, Toriel would only tell them these things to comfort their insecurities about being different, so they never truly believed her. _Humans are so, so special, my child, and so are you_ , she would say, to put a smile on their face. _Just because you cannot perform magic does not mean you are weak. Your soul is very very powerful, so much more so than any monster soul. It's even more powerful than mine! Haha!_

No one really knew anything about souls, anyway. They thought they were a figment of legends and fairytales. However, finding out they actually do have one... it feels like common knowledge. Like something they always knew, deep down. 

Like an old memory, resurfacing.

( _determination_ )

The crimson energy disappeared once the stalks were out of reach. They were sure they saw the stalk shoot out a white light as they passed, a flash in the corner of their vision. They didn't stick around long enough to find out.

They couldn't help but deeply wonder about this strange new place they've stumbled into. What is a dingy, dusty cave doing in a supply closet? Maybe they were dreaming. They were starting to believe the idea of Susie punching their lights out. It wasn't entirely unreasonable, she is a fan of picking on the weird, loner kids, after all, and it's not like they've never been one of her targets before. Perhaps they did something she didn't like. Perhaps she was particularly hungry and desperate to bite their face off.

They were dreaming. They had to be.

But it felt so real. The rocks under their gloved fingers. The cape over their shoulder. The soft breeze chilling their skin, their footsteps echoing in their ears, the strings around their ankles, the eyes burning into their back...

There was a shadow, up on the cliff.

A fleeting movement, gone in an instant. They weren't entirely sure they saw it. Their blood froze, their muscles locking up. Briefly touched the handle of their sword. They scanned the cliffs and their feet rooted to the ground, but they saw nothing more. Nothing else moved,

" _Susie_?" 

( _are you here_ )

The name blurted from their lips, a whisper made of pure fear. It was soon lost to the void, under the cold wind.

Of course, nobody came.

It was a struggle to move again, despite the pulling of the strings. Even as they continued on, their body trembled, steps turning clumsy. Every so often, they locked their eyes onto the cliffs, and felt increasingly more paranoid every time they saw nothing.

( _hiding_ )

( _the whispers are here_ )

Their path opened up into a large opening, the cliffs dropping low and even disappearing for small sections. Through the gaps, they could see distant land, afire with a warm, yellow glow; a glimmer of hope sparked in their heart. They started to pick up speed, avoiding the strange, white piles of dust, not considering how far the illusion of society actually was, just hoping to get there as fast as possible. Maybe they could get some answers, and figure out how to get home! 

As they broke into a jog, they went to push through the largest of the piles, the one blocking the way forward, but at the slightest touch it burst open in a rain of chalky dust. They yelled in shock, jumping out of their skin and tripping over their own feet, landing in a heap on the floor as the creature hiding in the pile waved their fist around wildly.

"Hey! Back off!" Roared a familiar voice. "Come any closer and I'll..."

Susie straightened up, breathing a large sigh of relief. They firmly found their feet, their heart pounding.

"Kris! Phew..." Her fists uncurled. "Hey, don't care me like that, dumbass! Unless you want to get clocked in the face!"

She gave them one, long hard stare, from under her messy, dark pink hair. It wasn't just Kris who had a change of wardrobe: Susie's ragged purple jacked had been replaced with a purple tank top and a black sleeveless jacket hemmed with purple and studded with gold, her ripped jeans gone in favour of baggy trousers that matched her hair and knee high boots. Around her wrists and her strong biceps were spiked bracelets, to pair the golden heart decorating the belt around her waist. Even her skin, usually a dark purple, now seemed to be a paler pink.

The most startling addition to her new look was the menacing axe strapped over her back...

"Enough screwing around." Susie's voice snapped them out of their thoughts. "We gotta find a way out of here."

She glanced around, turning her back on Kris.

"Um... where even is here, anyway?"

Kris shrugged.

Susie growled. "It doesn't matter! You got us into this mess, you get us out! Lead the way, Kris!"

She grabbed their arm, shoving them forward. They turn, uncertain, and she's got her arms crossed, wearing an expression that would beat them up for real if it could. So Kris takes a deep breath, and took a confident step. They trusted in the guidance of the threads.

They took a grand total of five steps before they heard a large, exaggerated sigh from behind them. "Oh my god, never mind. You walk way too slow."

She stomped past them, and off around the corner.

They almost ran to keep up with her, not willing to be left by themselves anymore. They didn't have to go far, for they found Susie staring at something on top of the cliffs. As Kris got closer, the shadowy figure on the cliffs took a short, rounded humanoid form, arms up in the air. 

( _the whispers are here_ )

"Hey, uh, Kris, there's someone up there waving at us. Any idea what they want...?" Susie turned to them, confused, before returning her gaze back up to the figure.

Around the figure's hand materialised some white objects, sharp, small objects that were pointing down at them.

Were those... spades?

The figure sent the objects down, crashing inches away from Susie's feet. She scrambled backwards, eyes widening in panic.

"Run, Kris!"

They ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing process looks something like this:
> 
> Take weeks to write first draft  
> Procrastinate editing  
> Edit and rewrite completely in less than two days
> 
> In other words, sorry this one took me a while! I've been writing parts of future chapters, so this one was put to the side for a bit.


	6. Five

Susie sprinted away faster than they could keep up with, and it was rather annoying when she didn't wait for them to catch up.

The spades came raining down on them, so angry and intense that they were mostly unavoidable, seemingly coming from all angles. A few of them grazed their shoulders, while most stabbed into their back and ached liked bruises. No matter where Kris went, the spades found them, so they simply bore the pain as best they could and blindly ran where they last saw Susie tread.

_Damn her long legs_! Soon enough she disappeared from their sight, pelting around the corner of the rocky maze. This only prompted them to push their legs to move faster, throwing one last hasty glance over their shoulder: the figure seemed to glide over the rocky surface of the cliffs, following with alarming speed, and it sounded like they were cackling, although Kris couldn't tell for sure, maybe they were just being paranoid -

No, that's a reasonable assumption. They were coming after them with sharp projectiles, after all.

Their path came to a sudden stop, ending in a steep, muddy slope. Without an inkling of rational thought they threw themselves down the slope, not caring that they were scraping their skin and ripping holes in their near-black bodysuit, simply desperate to find some solace from the spades that followed them like a hive of angry wasps. 

The projectiles came from the left and the right, and there was no avoiding them; their armour only did so much to prevent more aches, and soon they found themselves tumbling head over heels. Their head cracked against something hard, but they weren't sure how. They let their vision blur, and they shut their eyes.

For better or worse, the ground crashed into them and they lost all their breath. 

They laid still for an eternity. Waited as their senses returned to them. Waited for the world to stop shaking. They pulled themselves up at an insistent tugging at their wrists, sluggishly finding their feet.

No sign of Susie. Kris touched their head, and their fingers were sticky. A trickle of red crawled down their arm, collecting at the crook of their elbow. They couldn't see the shadow figure. Nor the spades. It looked as though the slope came to an abrupt stop, falling into a sheer drop. Huh. Faint laughter tickled at their throat.

They wasted no time in following the strings as they guided them onward. The rocky ground took a more definitive path, smoother and less dusty, and a wall of black bricks replaced the cliff face. It seemed to be a small, cobbled town, sitting in the shadow of a looming castle. Only a few outstanding buildings lined the centre, each one just as barren as the last; a ghost town, liveliness and warmth being a distant memory. 

They found Susie not too far ahead, standing cautiously just outside the town's entrance. "Oh, you're not dead. Sweet," she deadpanned upon hearing them approach. Her hair and clothes were just as dishevelled as they were. She didn't seem to be hurt, yet she was much more durable with her tough pink scales than they were with their soft blue flesh. 

Susie gestured beyond the walls to a small, cobbled town. "Got any ideas what the heck this place is?" They stared at each other for a moment too long, while she waited for any response. She scowled when she didn't get one. "... Me neither."

Without waiting for her to follow they entered the small, cobbled town, a hand resting on their sword handle. They approached what appeared to be the general shop, despite there being no light coming from inside. They knocked. No answer. They tried the handle. Locked. Kris wasn't sure what time of day it was, the sky being inky black suggested night, but it was morning just moments ago, in Alphys's class. How long were they out after they fell into this strange cave? Putting aside the mystery of _why there is a cavern in a supply closet_ , they could have been laying there for hours. Perhaps the town folk were asleep? 

The air seemed thick, musty - the loneliness almost choked them, reminded them just a little too much of...

( _whispers_ )

( _hurts_ )

They turned to see Susie trying the same thing on the inn's door, although much more forceful in her methods. She sighed, defeated, when the door did not budge, and mumbled something about "wanting to take a nap". Kris turned their gaze to the castle, the hulking shadow in the distance, and their eye caught on something, something curious in the centre of the town.

There was another one of those stars.

They slowly approached it, and just like before, when they reached towards it, it phased right through their hand. The warmth washed away their pain, and settled their fears and worries.

"What are you doing?" Susie's voice rung out from somewhere behind them.

"Right here," Kris stated plainly, as if that explained everything.

Heavy footsteps. She appeared at their side. "Dude. There's nothing there."

They snapped their gaze to hers, then back down to where they held their hand out, holding the tiny silver star. " _Look_ ," they said more forcefully. "Right here."

She breathed out a mocking laugh, shaking her head. "Not only are you a creepy loser, but you're insane, too. Great."

They shot her a look that held all their rage, and didn't falter when she stared back. A faint smile tugged at their lips when they saw she backed down, barely noticeable but they caught it, the slight shift in her expression, a hint of uncertainty. It was the same look she wore when she stared into their eyes, after she slammed them into the locker...

( _determination_ )

Kris stepped forward, heading towards the few steps that lead to the large courtyard at the entrance of the castle. The star passed through their chest, heating their soul and spreading it's peace through their blood.

The castle courtyard wasn't particularly big, nor was it well lit. Just like the town it presided over, the hulking building seemed devoid of any life, save for the two intruders wishing to find a way home.

"Why the hell is there a castle in a supply closet?" Susie muttered.

"Welcome, heroes...!"

Kris froze. Glanced as Susie, who was equally as startled. The voice echoed, gentle and friendly, but from where? Their eyes swept the courtyard, but they saw no one. 

"Who's there?" Susie challenged, claws curling into fists at her sides.

"Do not be alarmed... I am not your enemy."

As if appearing out of thin air a figure approached, tall and hooded so their features were hidden. They spoke with a hint of anxiousness, hidden behind a strong mask of friendly confidence. Kris took a step back, muscles tensing. Should they need to run they were prepared, visualising the path back through the caverns: if they could scale the cliff they fell from, back towards the eyes, the void, the whispers. They'd be safe there.

( _light_ )

"Welcome," the figure said. "I am the prince of this kingdom. The kingdom of darkness."

He turned his head up, getting a better look at the two intruders.

"Kris, Susie, there is a legend in this land. A legend that one day, two heroes of light will arrive, and fulfil the ancient prophecy foretold by time and space. Please, heroes, listen to my tale..."

( _light_ )

( _safe_ )

Kris exchanges a glance with Susie. Her face mirrored their own confusion. She spoke for both of them, in a cold and mocking inflection. "Um. No."

The stranger flustered, his voice wavering as his posture slouched some. "Um... really? Are you sure? It's fairly important. And, um, in my opinion, it's a really nice prophecy! I think you'd quite like it!"

( _safety_ )

"Look, dude," Susie started slowly, arms crossed. "We didn't come here for a bedtime story. Just tell us how to get home."

The strange prince hesitated. "Um, the easiest way would be to seal the Eastern Fountain," he stammered reluctantly.

"Eastern Fountain. Got it." Susie slapped a hand down on their shoulder. She grabbed their cape and pulled them around as she headed back towards the town. "Let's go, Kris."

"Wait!" The stranger cried. Susie growled lightly as she obliged, letting go of Kris.

"I truly believe you two are the heroes of the legend! That whatever enemies you may face, you two have the courage to save the world." He sighed, his hands clasping together as if he were praying to the Angel for help. "Please, won't you accept your destiny?"

"Uh..." Susie turned to Kris in disbelief. "Nah. Me? Some kind of hero? You've got the wrong person." Then with a snicker, she added, "I don't think they're much of a hero, either."

"But, Susie..." He pleaded. "Without you, the... the world will... it's all be destroyed. Please, just listen to the legend, at least?"

She laughed humourlessly. "So what? If the world gets destroyed... that's none of my business. Might be kind of fun, honestly." Again, she stared down her snout at Kris. "Kris... if you wanna play pretend with this weirdo... stick around. I'm going to find a way out of here."

As she turned, the stranger reached out to her. "Susie, please...!"

A maniacal laughter stopped him in his tracks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like these chapters are getting worse and worse haha
> 
> In other news, I started university yesterday, so don't expect these chapters to be posted that quickly. Not that they were, but, you know


	7. Six

Kris didn't register what had happened until a moment too late: the nervous figure flew about halfway across the courtyard, and in his place a rounded, chubby blue child sat on a flaming bike, cackling and grinning.

"Ho ho ho! One nerd down, two more to go!" the child said, sticking his blue tongue out of his wide smile. His face was a large spade, head like a teardrop. A shiver ran down Kris's spine.

This was the one following them earlier, through the dark cliffs. Had to be.

( _the eyes are always watching_ )

But he was just a kid, he couldn't be older than twelve at most. So why did they feel so much fear? Or was it merely uncertainty, brewing in their head and causing their breathing to quicken?

( _i want to go home_ )

"The heroes are running away... and they didn't even know I was here. My dad's gonna make me Son of the Month!"

"Who the hell are you?" Susie grunted.

"Me? Oh, I'm -"

The kid paused, making a display of doing a trick on his bike.

"The bad guy!"

Kris shot a glance at Susie, only to see her face contort in what seemed to be exasperation.

"You clowns want to seal our dark Fountain, huh?" The child pointed to them dramatically. "And - still picturing you guys as clowns - save the world from eternal darkness, huh?"

"Eh..." Susie shrugged.

"Don't try to deny it! We both know you'll go east! It's your only way home! But I, Lancer, won't let you get there! I've got a flawless two-step plan to ensure it. One, I thrash you. Two, you lose!"

A harsh, humourless laugh left Susie's throat, one that made Kris flinch on instinct. They knew that laugh. They've heard it many times in their years dealing with her antics. They almost felt sympathy for the kid. "Nice plan, kid," Susie said, feigning friendliness.

"Really...?" Lancer looked hopeful.

"Yeah, actually... Mind if we use it on you instead?"

She held the menacing axe in her hands, grinning wildly.

"Dunno how I got an axe, but, like, that's cool."

Hesitantly, Kris fumbled for their sword, held it with a shaky hand. Lancer took position at the other end of the courtyard, grinning on his flaming bike. A strange feeling flooded their body, one of mild disconnect: a faint, crimson glow spilled over onto Susie, standing next to them, but she didn't seem to notice. Nor did Lancer. Only they could see their soul, illuminating from their chest, just like it did for that strange stalk. The glow felt stronger somehow, more powerful. More determined.

"Halt, clowns!" Lancer bellowed as loud as his childish voice could manage. "This bike is fuelled with victory!"

He charged at the intruders, little legs pumping the pedals furiously. Susie avoided him with ease, but Kris, pushed by the strings, tripped over their own feet and dropped their sword, and for a moment they felt uncomfortable in their human body, as if it didn't fit quite right.

( _not to call a spade a spade, but he's a spade_ )

Susie, ever so eager to pick on a weaker target, tensed her muscles as she swung her axe at Lancer. Luckily, the kid avoided the worst of the hit, but still nearly tumbled off his bike, yelping. Susie only cackled.

What could they do? They didn't want to hurt the kid, no matter how happy Lancer seemed to attack them. No, they wouldn't hurt him, they couldn't hurt a child. So what _could_ they do? Run? 

( _act_ )

( _compliment_ )

Word started tumbling out of their mouth.

"Lancer," Kris called, in a voice that was calm, clear, collected, much unlike their usual raspy, quiet mumble. Something in their brain short-circuited, and the sudden surge of confidence within them faltered for a heartbeat. "I... I can't tell the difference between your clothes and your body...?"

They shut their mouth, confused at their own words.

"What the hell, Kris?" Susie blurts. That tone of hers suggested they would get a smack on the head, but no such action happened. "What are you doing?"

Lancer, on the other hand, was blushing.

"Oh!" His grin fell for a moment, turning into a somewhat shy expression. "You make my feelings do wheelies! Sweet wheelies!"

That didn't stop him for a moment. Lancer charged at them again, this time conjuring some white spades and sending them at the intruders. Instinctively, Kris raised their sword and closed their eyes, and heard the sound of several bullets hitting metal.

Instead of a sword in their hand, they held a shield on their forearm. A large one, one that had a faint pink tinge to the metal. The moment the bullets stopped, it morphed back into a sword again.

_What_.

While preoccupied, they had completely forgotten about the enemy. Lancer rammed his bike into their side, knocking them to the ground. Huffing, ignoring the ache in their shoulder from their collision with the lockers, they picked up their sword and tried to pay more attention to where their enemy was headed.

Lancer rightfully went for Susie next, cackling as he summoned more spades and sent them her way. She raised her arms in front of her in an X, taking each bullet as it came, and only seemed more irritated. Just as she lunged at him with her axe, Lancer quickly pedalled away, turning to face them at the other side of the courtyard.

"Wait! Wait a second!" He cried. "My bike's running out of fuel!"

Susie grunted in annoyance.

"Alright, you punk-a-roos! You had the luck of the draw this time, but next time, you won't be so lucky! Haha, bye losers!" Lancer headed towards the steps, bumping down them. As he rode away, he yelled over his shoulder, "I gotta get home before dinner!"

"Um," said a quiet voice. Kris turned to see the hooded figure, nervously finding his feet and brushing himself off. "Are you two okay...?"

He stepped into the centre of the courtyard, carefully approaching the two intruders. He was trembling. "Um, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am..."

"Jeez, speak up," Susie snapped, a hint of a growl in her voice. "I can barely hear you under that hood."

"Um, alright."

A black furry hand appeared from under the dusky purple cloak, fiddling with the ties around the neck. The stranger took the hood down, then let the cloak fall to the floor, revealing a monster dressed in a bright green robe of sorts, flowing to his knees, with a floppy wizard's hat obscuring his face to match. There wasn't much they could see under that large hat, but they did see some rounded white glasses, perched on the end of a black snout, peeking above a thick, vibrant pink scarf that seemed identical in colour to their ragged cloak.

"Hello everyone," he says politely. "I'm Ralsei. Kris, Susie... it's ever so wonderful to meet you! I'm certain we're going to become great friends, and -"

"Best way to leave is east, right?"

Ralsei crumpled under Susie's interruption, ever so slightly. "Yes, that's where we'll..."

"Got it. See ya at school Kris."

Wasting no time, Susie left the courtyard.

Kris seemed frozen in place: they could only watch as she abandoned them with the nervous strange. Ralsei's voice took on a slight waver as he rushed to fill the silence. "Um... I suppose it's just the two of us, then..."

He cleared his throat, and Kris gave him their attention, if only to keep a weary eye on his actions. "Kris, I'm a Prince, but..." he started off, unsure. "I currently don't have any subjects. I've been waiting alone here... um, my entire life. So I'm really happy to meet you, and I hope we can be good friends, Kris."

( _not only are you a creepy loner but you're insane too_ )

They couldn't bare Ralsei's soft and caring gaze, so they diverted their eyes back over their shoulder. Susie was long gone, but somehow her cold company felt better to them than that of Ralsei's. _Friends. Good friends_. How long would it be before he got under their skin, picking out all their secrets and their fears? 

Their discomfort went entirely unnoticed by the strange prince. "Let's try to find Susie. She must be to the southeast. I'm sure we can catch up to her." Ralsei gently pat their shoulder, to which they flinched. Apologetically, he gestured to the town below. "You can lead the way, Kris."

So they followed in Susie's footsteps, back into the town, and shivered under the strange eyes burning into their back as they went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well.
> 
> Sorry this took a while, and as always, thank you for reading :)


End file.
